1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a facsimile-television system and a facsimile signal transmitting method thereof, and more particularly to a facsimile-television system and the facsimile signal transmitting method thereof which allows a television image to be transmitted to a facsimile installed within the facsimile-television system or to another facsimile provided outside the facsimile-television system by using a converter for Group III format.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A facsimile-television system (hereinafter referred to as "fax-TV") in accordance with a conventional art is shown in FIG. 1. The fax-TV has a TV system 108, facsimile (fax) part 101-106, facsimile (fax) controller 107 and an image capture circuit 109 coupled between the TV system 108 and the facsimile. The facsimile (fax) part includes a network controller 101 for connecting an external telephone line and connecting/blocking a telephone call, a modulator-demodulator (modem) 102 for converting an analog signal from the external telephone line to a digital signal, an encoding/decoding section 103 for encoding the digital signal from the modem 102 to facsimile format data, for example, Group III format data, and for decoding data to be transmitted through the modem, a buffer memory 104 for temporarily storing the coded data before printing and temporarily storing the decoded data before transmitting to the modem, a printing section 106 for printing the data stored in the buffer memory and a reading section (scanner) 105 for loading the paper to be transmitted and reading or scanning information on the paper. A data transmitter/receiver has the network controller 101, the modem 102, the encoding/decoding section 103 and the buffer memory 104. The fax controller 107 controls the total function of the fax and the image capture circuit 109 captures an image data of one TV frame to transmit to the fax.
With reference to the receiving process of the fax-TV shown in FIG. 1, if a telephone from a given outside fax reaches a fax installed within the fax-TV, the network controller 101 in the fax-TV checks the number of rings. If the number of rings reaches a designated value, the fax controller 107 establishes a call and the analog signal from the outside telephone line is converted to a digital signal at the modem 102 in the fax-TV. Then, the digitized signal, which is in the facsimile data format, is decoded at the encoding/decoding section 103, i.e., converting the Group III format data to the digital image signal for fax. The decoded data is temporarily stored in the buffer memory 104 and then printed at the printing section 106.
As to the transmitting process of the fax-TV, a paper containing an image thereon to be transmitted is loaded, which is sensed at the fax controller 107 and a user dials a telephone number corresponding to a place to which the transmission is made and where a receiving fax is located. According to the dialed telephone number, the fax controller 107 establishes a telephone call and the read-out (scanned) data from the reading section 105 (scanner) is stored in the buffer memory 104. Thereafter, the image signal is subjected to the encoding process, i.e., the image signal is converted to the Group 3 format data, at the encoding/decoding section 103. The encoded data is converted from the digital signal to the analog signal by the modem 102, and then the analog signal is transmitted through the network controller 101 to the receiving fax. Subsequently, the fax controller 107 transmits a code representing the end of the paper and disconnects the call to terminate the transmission, if the end of the paper is detected at the reading section 105.
On the other hand, the process for transmitting an image signal of the TV system (a video signal) to the fax installed within the TV system is explained below. If a printing command is generated using a remote controller by the user, the image capture circuit 109 captures one frame of video image data by using a synchronization signal and a luminance signal transmitted from the TV system 108, stores the captured frame temporarily and then the printing section prints the image signal stored in the buffer memory 104.
In the conventional art, the image capture circuit is coupled between the TV system and the fax in order to transmit and print the image signal of the TV system to the fax installed within the fax-TV. In particular, the image capture circuit 109 is directly connected to the buffer memory. The encoding/decoding section 103, the buffer memory 104 and the fax controller 107 of the fax tend to be integrated into one chip, so that it is difficult to directly connect the buffer memory to the image capture circuit and accordingly it is difficult to print the image signal through the fax installed within the fax-TV.
In addition, because the conventional fax-TV has only the function of printing the image signal of the TV system, it is impossible to transmit the image signal of TV system to another fax provided outside the fax-TV.